Humidity control devices have been known for many years. Perhaps one of the earliest humidity control devices was simply a pan of water setting on a stove or heater. The pan was repeatedly re-filled with water as the heat from the stove or heater evaporated the water. The water vapor raised the humidity in an environment of low moisture.
It is well recognized that during cold weather, particularly in the Northern climes, the indoor moisture content may often be very low. This low humidity causes damage. For example, the drying out of wood pieces that have been glued together often results in the wooden pieces coming apart at glued joints. In other words, wooden furniture with pieces glued together become loose and eventually may entirely separate. Legs may fall off chairs or legs may become disassociated from a table. The same types of problems occur with guns carrying fine wooden stocks.
Over the years, sophistication has developed in humidity control devices. Homes today often include a humidifier that is associated with the central furnace or heating system. Water is automatically fed into the humidifier. The water is exposed to warm moving air which picks up the moisture, carrying the water vapor throughout the home. Electronic controlled humidity regulators are very effective, but expensive and not very portable.
Desiccants have been used to completely or almost completely remove all the humidity in the air. Desiccants typically leave the humidity at or quite near zero percent.
In other instances environments may contain an excess amount of water vapor. Such a condition is typically confronted in the below ground level portion of the house, typically referred to as a basement. If the basement is located in a soil environment that contains high moisture, the moisture may move through the walls e.g. concrete, of the basement raising the moisture content in the basement air to an unacceptably high level.
Devices have been designed to lower the moisture content, such devices are commonly referred to as dehumidifiers. These devices often work on a principle of refrigeration. The devices include a coil (tubular coil) through which a compressible fluid is passed. When the fluid is permitted to expand, the fluid rapidly lowers the temperature of the tubing. As moist air is passed over the tubing, condensation takes place on the tubing forming water which drops down into a removable pan. Periodically the pan is removed and emptied. All too often, the dehumidifier is forgotten, the pan overflows onto the floor and the water then evaporates, again raising the humidity.
Humidifying devices and dehumidifying devices of the type just described are generally not suitable for use in a gun case. The described humidifying devices and dehumidifying devices take up a substantial amount of space and simply will not fit within a gun case. Attempts have been made to design small devices that fit within a small case.
There is a need to control the humidity in gun cases. If too a high level of moisture is present oxidation or rusting of metal parts in the gun stored in the case may occur. If too low a level of moisture is present in the gun case, cracking of the wood parts may occur along grain lines or glued joints. Both of the problems are very serious when expensive guns are involved. The wood surface may warp or have varnish separation. Damage to the gun may reduce its value very substantially. The present invention over comes these inherent problems.